06/27/08

Best place in Tampa for upmarket Italian cuisine

by peter06

I ate at Armani's last night and it was the best meal I had in a long time. The food was superb and full of surprises. I ordered the seabass and the server poured the sauce at the table (nice touch) Everything we consumed was of the highest quality and it sure rectifies the prices charged. My wife had the lamb and again, this dish has also a surprise element build in. (The sauce comes in a french press and is pressed at your table!) I have been living here in Tampa over 8 years and this restaurant used to have a boring and overwelming menu. Now it is exciting, tasty and of the highest quality ingredients. I was most impressed by their new bread and olive oil presentation. You start your meal with stunning olive oil and aged balsamic vingar. They also hand out small chunks of real parmesano reggiano! To die for, I could have just had this all night. Leave yourself some room for dessert though, because the blueberry goat cheese strudel is stellar. If the service wouldn't be so stuffy, I would go more often.

• Pros: Menu, view and food quality
• Cons: service too old fashioned

05/06/08

OVER RATED

by cocomejia

This used to be one of the best but I really think this place is over rated. The food was not good, service was very slow and it was too presumptious as well as stuffy. Oystercatchers is definitely giving this place a run for their money. They might want to think about renovating or making changes here as well to keep up with the new demands.

05/05/08

Extremely disappointing

by Glabanca

Our first experience there was 6 years ago and it was great...

So when our 5th wedding anniversary came this was our place of choice...

We were very very disappointing... Obviously the chef had changed, and so has the menu. The dishes offered are very common and unrefined. Gone is the fine dining experience, honestly the food was just as good at Macaroni Grill, and I am not exagerating. Have I also mentioned that I got sick within 20 minutes of leaving the restaurant? The dress code that was once enforced seems to have faded away...

Overall, it was an overpriced version of a mediocre Italian restaurant!!!

01/11/08

Extraordinary food and location

by tmbylee

We went to Armani's yesterday and were told they have a new chef and brand new menu. We were very pleased with both the food and location and if our experience is any indication, this restaurant deserves every star it has! As other reviews have noted, the level of service is very high. The cuisine was very contemporary and classic at the same time, and there seemed to be attention to detail for everything on the plate. We can't wait to go back and try more! This is a great place for a romantic evening, especially if you are a foodie.

• Pros: food/menu, location, service
• Cons: must travel through the hotel to reach restaurant on 14th floor

01/14/07

Enjoyed our 35th Wedding Anniversary at Armani's

by carolkemp

We like dining early and arrived a little before 6pm. This was our 3rd visit to Armani's in a number of years and, quite frankly, I was a bit apprehensive after reading some of the Armani reviews the evening before as the reviews did not express what I remember from before. Once we arrived, we were invited to be seated in the lounge to watch the sunset. Having heard good comments about the terrace, we asked about it. We were then invited to the terrace. I especially enjoyed the quiet atmosphere, as we were the ONLY ones on the terrace. We took many photographs of a WONDERFUL sunset and then went back in to see if one of the servers would take our photograph together. Qasim eagerly accepted and took a lovely photo. In fact, after taking one, he asked if he could take another, as he was not satisfied with the first one he took. We figured we should tip him for his efforts and he refused our tip. We found this rather astounding after reading reviews about greedy servers. We decided to ask the Maitre D to seat us with Qasim. We were not disappointed. Armani?s was exactly as we remember it. At the end of our meal Qasim presented us with two lovely chocolate covered strawberries that looked like little tuxedos ? Happy Anniversary was written across the plate. They were not only beautiful but also delicious. We found this to be a special treat. This is not something to be seen most anywhere. We have always enjoyed dining at Armani?s and consider it a special treat. Yes, it is exceptionally pricey but it is rated the number one restaurant in the Tampa Bay area and I am sure their rent is rather high, located on the top floor of the Hyatt with one of the best views in the Tampa Bay area. It is important to factor in location and rent as part of the operating expenses of the restaurant when comparing entree pricing. We both have birthdays coming up and will consider revisiting Armani's. Should we revisit, we will be sure to ask for Qasim Khan.

• Pros: View, Service, Food

11/15/06

The romance died at Armani's

by stunter78

Suprisingly the rates on meals were not so $$$$ like everyone said. They were comparable to any other fine dining resturant I have been. Your looking at about 30-60 dollars a plate. The food was excellent as would be expected for the price being paid. If you are going on a business dinner it would be a great place. But, however, the layout is somewhat a square with the couples sitting in the middle and the parties around the outside. So the light conversations of a romantic evening are disrupted by the noisy parties which are also partially blocking the beautiful views of the harbor. So for a romantic evening I highly advise going somewhere else.

10/20/06

Wonderful date spot!

by natheise

I took my wife here for her birthday. Everything was fabulous. Great meal, great drinks and drink selection. Excellent service. The view all around is spectacular, and you can't miss the antipasta bar! I will be back for sure.

• Pros: Antipasta bar, view, service

04/02/06

The Perfect Experience

by boo318

My Fiance and I still can't get over Armani's. We love great food and service, Armani's goes way beyond.We arrived and were met with warmth and character. The wait staff are seasoned veterans, most have been in Armani's for ten or more years.Our Captain's been at Armani's for 19 years. The food was phenomanal in flavor and flair. Beautiful presentations were surpassed by unique, delectable ingrediants. I still taste the Ossobuco. My fiance had the Chef's Special Dover Sole....unbelievable!!! The spectacular view, succulent cusine and incomparable service are all brought together in a romantic setting. Every detail from anniv. cards to black napkins adds another accent. The couple next to us celebrated their 50th anniv. with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, they've been coming here for the past 10 years. We just can't wait to go back! We have to say that Armani's is nothing less than Perfect!

• Pros: Ambiance, Food, Service

04/01/06

ELEGANT AND TASTEFUL

by thehott116

Armani's to me is the best dinning restaurant around. I myself am a traveler and I have had many different kinds of foods from all around the continental U.S.! Armani's is situated on the 15th floor of the amazing Hyatt hotel overlooking the beautiful waters of Florida. The best scenery is at night outside on the balcony which fits about 100 people comfortably. The menu served ranges from fish to chicken to steaks and much more. From tossed, house and ceasar salads all mixed together with just the right blends of sauces and flavorings. Not only is Armani's exceptional with its food quality/quantity, it also has a piano style bar in the front open til the early hours of the morning. I would definitely say Armani's was a great find!

• Pros: Service, Atmosphere/Location, Quality/Quantity

11/03/05

Great Restaurant with greedy waiters..

by customer999

One of the best restaurant with great food and very romantic. BUT the sevice.. i dont know about that.. the waiters try to increase your bill instead of trying to help you out with it.. I know you want to tip them but I would not give them more then 15% because they don't deserve it. They are aroud lot of $$ and it gets to their head. Then need to treat every customer the same weather they are spending $400 or $4000.

• Pros: Food, Romantic, View
• Cons: Service, Price, Service